Sparkling Apple Cider Sangria

I often think of sangria as a summer sipper, but it works just as easily (and very well, I might add) in the fall and winter.

To serve it in the cold weather months, I simply swap the usual orange juice for apple cider, and replace the red or white wine with a sparkling variety, which instantly makes the drink feel more festive. I’m never fond of the colour, though—it’s awfully brown thanks to the cider—but it’s nothing a hefty splash of cranberry or pomegranate juice can’t fix.

While traditional sangria usually calls for berries, in my holiday version I use apple and/or pear slices, cranberries, and pomegranate arils instead. The wonderful thing about sangria is that it’s incredibly versatile and stretches a bottle of wine a very long way. Speaking of that bottle of wine, opt for a cheap and cheerful variety instead of something more costly. Once you add liqueur and juices to the pitcher the flavour muddles and it’s not worth investing in a pricey bottle at that point.

Three cheers for cost-effective entertaining tricks!

Note: to make this drink non-alcoholic, remove the liqueur and replace the sparkling wine with club soda, or equal parts club soda and ginger ale.

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Jan Scott is a well-known Canadian cookbook author, food writer, and the creator of Family Bites, a popular blog devoted to family-focused recipes and easy-to-execute entertaining and party ideas. She’s been the food editor for SavvyMom.ca since 2011, and has had essays and articles published in a variety of print and online publications. Prior to making the transition to food writing, she worked for a private catering company for eight years. Her first book, Gatherings: Bringing People Together with Food was shortlisted for the 2015 Taste Canada Food Writing Awards in the Best General Cookbook category. Jan lives in Toronto, with her husband and their three sons.